Combination concrete mixer and placer



Aug. 22, 1933. A G. FoRTlER 1,923,303

COMBINATION CONCRETE MIXER AND PLACER Fied April 21, 1951 2 sheets-sheet1 GEO/EGE FORT/Efe.

47m/a & C0.

ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 22, 1933. Q PQR-NER 1,923,303

COMBINATION CONCRETE `MIXER AND PLACER Filed April 21, 1931 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

G50/e se FORT/fe.,

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ATTORNEYS.

Patented ug. 22, 1933 COMBINATION CONCRETE IVIIXER AND PLACER GeorgeFortier, Pittsburg, Calif.

Application April 21, 1931. Serial No. 531,830

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in a combination concretemixer and placer, and the principal object of the invention is tocombine with a concrete mixer means for 'discharg- 5 ing and placing theconcrete wherever it may be desired.

More particularly it is the object oi the present invention to combine aconcrete mixer and a concrete placer intoone unit whereby the han- 0dling of concrete is facilitated particularly in places diicult ofaccess.

While my combination machine Vmay be used in many different situations,it has been particularly developed for service in connection with theerection of a concrete lining for a tunnel, and it is particularlyadapted for that purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in combination with arevolving concrete mixen a pneumatic means for discharging the concretetherefrom and for placing the latter. A further object of the inventionis to arrange the mixer and the placer into a simple and economicalunit, Vwhich takes up little space and which is adapted for handlingwhere only limited space is available.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as thespecication proceeds.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 shows a vertical longitudinal sectionthrough my device;

Figure 2 a transverse section taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 a perspective detail view of a discharge trough used in mydevice;

\ Figure 4 a transverse section taken along line 4-4 of Figure l; and

Figures 5 and 6 transverse sections taken along lines 5-5 and 6-6 VofFigure l, respectively.

While I have shown only the preferred form of the invention, I wish tohave it understood that various changes or modincations may be madewithin the scope of the claims hereto attached without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

In its preferred form my invention comprises a mixing drum l ofconventional form revolvably mounted on a truck 2 by means of rollers 3,havv ing chain links 4 connecting the same and being mounted in grooves5 of the drum, and adapted to ride in registering grooves 6 provided instandards 7 rising from the platform of the truck. The truck may be madeto ride on rails 8 or may be .suspended from a rail by means of atraveling crane. Rotary motion may be imparted to the shown as ll andl2, and may be closed at its 00 rear end by means of a gate 13 circularin form and adapted to be seated against a frusto-conioal seat-14. Thegate, which is frusto-conical in form, may be held against its seat bypressure prevailing within the drum and is manipulated by means of acurved rod 14 pivoted to a xed support as at 15, and engaging the gateby means of a swivel joint 16. A handle 17 rises from the rod 14 andallows the same to be manually operated for throwing the gate inwardwhen it is desired to ll the drum, the gate normally falling back intoclosing position.

The drum is equipped on its inside with spiral vanos 18 adapted to aidin the mixing of the concrete in the drum when the latter is revolved,and also tending to carry the concrete forward during the mixing period.

At its front end the drum terminates in a sleeve 19 which is threadedinto a flange 2G fastened to the front end of the drum. By means of thissleeve the drum is connected to the horizontal end 21 of a verticaldischarge chute 22, the sleeve extending ,into the discharge chute andhaving an exterior flange 23 tting the chute opening and forming apacking chamber 24 therewith. Packing may be forced into this chamber bymeans of a'gland 25 slidable on the sleeve 19 `and a nut 26 threaded onthe sleeve. The gland 25 is fastened to the chute body by means of bolts27 and nuts 28, which prevent separation of the gland from the chutehousing under inuence of inside pressure. On the other hand, the drumand the chute housing are prevented from being drawn together under theinfluence of negative inside pressure by nuts 29V bearing on the insideof the ange 30, and the further fact that the heads of the bolts 27 arecovered and held against sliding movement by the nut 26.

A pipe 31 is axially supported in the forward end of the drum, the pipehaving bearing in the Wall of the chute housing as at 32 and inside ofthe. drum in a spider 33 adapted to be oiled through an oil line 34.This pipe 31 has a slanting trough 35 fastened thereto. The trough is ofthe shape indicated in Figure 3, starting with a flat bottom 36 at itsupper end, and gradually changing into annular form as at 37 at theother end. The flat bottom 36 has two sides 37 and 38 rising therefrom,the side 37 being much higher than the side 38 so as to allow concreteto be discharged into the trough by the vanes of the drum in a spiraldirection, the side 38 being low to allow the concrete to enter thetrough and the side 37 being high to prevent the concrete from runningoff. This trough may be fastened to the pipe 31 in any suitable mannerand is preferably fastened by means of two brackets indicated at 38 and39, and shown in detail in Figures 5 and 6. The pipe 31 is connected atits outer end to a source of compressed air and is provided at its innerend with two branch pipes 40 and 41 arranged to discharge air underpressure along the bottom of the trough so as to force concretedischarged thereon downward and through the sleeve 19 into the chute 22.The pipe 31 may be turned from the outside by means of a handle 42whereby the trough may be turned through an angle of substantiallyninety degrees so as to be inactive during the initial part of themixing period.

At its lower end the chute terminates in a horizontal discharge port 43which connects with a pipe 44 leading to the particular place where theconcrete is to be placed, and opposite the discharge port 43 is arrangedan intake port 45 for compressed air which forces the concrete throughthe conduit 44. Y

My invention is used as follows: Assuming that a tunnel is to be linedand a frame or form has been erected against the wall of the tunnel, mydevice is placed in convenient proximity to the place where Vtheconcrete is to be applied and the conduit 44 is shaped to discharge theconcrete at the top of the formso that the concrete may roll downwardalong the sides o1" the tunnel in both directions. The drum is theniilledwith gravel, sand and'cement through its rear end by any suitablemeans, as for instance by a conveyor or a charging hopper. A measuredkquantity of water is admitted inany suitable manner not shown in thedrawings, and afterl the ingredients have been introduced the gate 13 isallowed to fall back into position and the drum is revolved by means ofthe pinion 9 engaging the ring gear 10. During the initial period of therevolving motion the pipe 31 isturned by means of the handle 42 so as toplace the trough with its bottom in an upright position, the side 37 ofthe trough being on top and serving as a hood toprevent concrete fromentering the trough, After the mixing operation has proceeded, say for aminute and a half, or whatever time is required, the pipe 3l is turnedto bringthe trough into active position and the concretejnow is'vdischarged gradually on the trough, the low side 38 allowing of freeaccess of the concrete from vanes 18, while the side 37 prevents theconcrete from rolling or flowing over the other edge of the trough. Atthe same time suitable valves 46 and 47 in the pipes 31 and 45 areopened so that air under pressure ymay enter through the same.

The compressed air passing through the pipe 31 is discharged parallelwith the bottom of the trough through the branch pipes 40 and 41, andmaintains the trough clean by urging the concrete into and through thesleeve 19 from which it drops through the chute 22. At the bottom ofthis chute, it is taken up by the air blasts coming through the pipe andis forced through the conduit 44 and discharged at the end of thisconduit.

During the discharge process considerable pressure is built upthroughout the drum, and holds the gate 13 tightly to its seat so thatno pressure may escape at the rear end of the drum. The inner pressurehas a tendency to separate the drum from the chute housing but thistendency is counteracted by the bolts 27 and the nuts Toward the end ofthe operation the sudden turning off of the valves 46 and 47 may producea temporary negative pressure in the inside of the drum and the chute,twhich might have a tendency to force the sleeve 19 'into the chutehousing, and this tendency is counteracted rby the nuts 29 and the factthat the heads of the bolts 27 areheldagainst outward movement by thenut 26.

y I claim: Y

1. In combination, arevolvable concrete mixer, a discharge chute for thesame, a pipe extending axially into the mixer, a trough supported on thepipe and having communication with the chute, means for feeding thecontents to the trough and means utilizing the pipe for blowing airalong the trough for urging the contents into the chute.

2. In combination, a revolvable concrete mixer, a discharge chute forthe same, a pipe extending axially into the mixer, a trough supported onthe pipe and having communication with the chute, means for feeding thecontents to the trough and means utilizing the pipe for blowing airalong the trough for urging the contents into the chute, the pipe beingsupported with freedom of revolvable adjustment whereby the trough maybe` turned into inactive position during the initial mixing period. v

3. In combination, a revolvable concrete mixer, means for revolvablysupporting the same, a stationary chute, an axial outlet for the mixercommunicating with the chute, a member having bearing in the mixer andin the chute and extending through the outlet and a trough supported onthe member and adapted to discharge into the outlet.

4. In a device of the character described, a revolvable concrete mixerterminating in a neck at one end thereof, a trough having a cylindricalend adapted to register with the neck, la member extending through theneck and the bottom of the trough and means forfastening the trough tothe member.

v GEORGE FORTIER.

